Aphorism
by IcyThorn
Summary: Ruby has been admitted into a psychiatric hospital after a tragic event that Ruby refuses to face. Or rather refuses to acknowledge is tragic, Ruby just wants to live her life. Without thinking about it. Ever. Never going back to her past. You know what they say, 'Your past determines your future'


**I mostly write personal stories for fun, but I had this idea that just evolved outta control. So gimme your feedback, cause this story will be going on for a few chapters. I could also use a beta, checking for grammar errors that I can't find would really improve this story. If you wanna beta the story just send a message.**

 **ALSO this was written a long time ago, so this maybe a bit outdated. I guess.**

Chapter One Aphorism

"Ruby, come join mama in heaven."

There is a word that is used to describe petty truths; Aphorism. I like that word. One of my favorites is "Beauty is only skin deep". My mother is a gorgeous person. Flowing dark hair that you can never tell if it's black dyed with red or red dyed with black. A blessed figure most women would kill to have after having two children. A gentle face that a comforting smile I knew lay. Mother's beauty never falter over the years, even when she lost her mind.

That's something cruel. Every time my mother would do something that would hurt me and my sister, We'd have to see it. The face of our cherished mother twisted in every sense. It was our mother hurting us. That's why my sister, Yang, left.

So that left me all alone with mother. The batshit crazy shell of a loved one tormenting me. The worst kind of hell. I don't believe I'm scarred from the experience. I don't see it as a favorable one. Yet, I think it prepared me for something in the future. "It was hell living with mother."

"I know, but that doesn't mean you didn't love her. At some point in your life. You love your mother, and there's nothing wrong with that. Remember your mother the best way you can."

"I'm not sure I did love her. I was too young to recognize love. I can't be completely confident I did love her… I'm sorry for saying horrible things about her, I know you loved her too." I finally turn to my friend and therapist, Dr. Ozpin. Or as I sometimes refer to him, Frienderapist. Ozpin does not like that name. He's been through this trial of loss with me. Well, at least now he is. He wasn't around too much when I was living with mother. But now he's here and I don't think that up for anything.

Ozpin and my mother were long time friends. Along with my dad and my uncle Qrow, but that's a story for a different time.

"It's alright Ruby. I'll admit, I may be too close to you to be unbiased to your troubles. Nevertheless I want to emphasize. Remember the happy times." Ozpin stands up taking sip of coffee from a red mug. He motions me to come up with him from my comfy bed-sofa, the LazyThinker. "Can't. I've become accustomed to a life of self reflection and laziness."

"You can't. Qrow will be here to retrieve you any moment."

"He's not coming."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Cause I called him and told him Yang is picking me up..."

"Yang's away working... Ruby." Ugh that 'Ruby, You better not have' tone.

"I didn't lie. Yang's coming back to pick me up. Her plane landed an hour ago she should be now." It is true.

"Hmm." Ozpin takes a sip of coffee from his green mug... wait wasn't it red before? How many mugs has he been through!? We wait in silent with disruptions of coffee sipping and LazyThinker shuffling… Eventually we hear a knock at the door.

"I'm looking for Ruby Rose."

"Yang! uff!" I tried to jump from my beloved LazyThinker, however my legs failed to move with me... Why have you betrayed me LazyThinker? From the floor I can see Yang enter the

"Yang, it's good you to see after so long. You've grown so much." Yangs hugs Ozpin and she laughs. "Yea, and you've grown into a silver fox." Yang makes a jab at Ozpin's hair color.

"It's my natural color." Ozpin gives a small smile and takes a drink from his now silver mug…

I finally get the feeling back to legs and stand up to see my sister. She looks back at me. My sister. The sister I haven't seen for about seven years. Maybe on holidays and through letters and rare phone calls. I know why she left. It's not her fault.

"Ruby, I'm sorry " I don't want to hear her apologizes. "SIS! You're home!" I bear hug my sister with all the might a fourteen year can muster. "You're back! I missed you." That much is true. I did miss her. I just don't want to hear apologizes. Yangs can't resist and hugs me back twice as hard. "Yup! I'm back! I missed you too Ruby." I'm not crying, but I'm definitely beyond happy to be escaping to a better place with my sister. Ozpin just sips and smiles.

"You'll need to sign Ruby out as she took a room here at the hospital." Ozpin said as he walked us out of the patient's quarter into the waiting room. We walk past some shady characters, but I doubt I'll have to worry about them. I haven't encounter them while hiding here anyway.

"You know since sleeping at Ozpin's was not an opinion due to 'lack of space'." I say with the air hyphens. They were totally appropriate since I'm pretty sure he's home is roomy enough. I've speculated that he has a harem of women and doesn't want me to see his true self. It's the only logical explanation.

"You know I don't have much space, one of us would have ended up sleeping on the floor. My back isn't what it used to be." Ozpin says while straightening his back and grinning.

"So Ruby's been staying at a hospital in what seems like a looney bin..." Yang said putting her motorcycle helmet on the counter. She wasn't too far off. I was kept up in this hospital for about a week now. It was the psychiatric floor with those shady characters. I stayed in the adult ward since there were no rooms free in the teenage ward. Ozpin was just a floor away. Staying closer to my Frienderapist was the best choice.

Yang seemed to be right about it being a looney bin. Yang pointed to a lounge area where a man rushed through the area, lecturing about an animal revolution... His green hair seemed like he had gone on a motorcycle ride for hours without a helmet, making it all stick up. He wore tinted lens that you couldn't see through. His only listeners were two girls. The girl one had long black hair and what seemed like cat ears on her head. The other was a brunette and this one had bunny ears. I suppose the animal revolution is coming.

"Seems unsafe for Ruby to be near the loonies." Oh Yang. Acting like you care. I rub my forehead. I've had a issue of finding a problem with everything or giving everything a double meaning. I've told Ozpin and besides telling me to focus on the good and block those thoughts out, he's given me some good advice and coping mechanisms. I've developed a habit of regular exercise and making a joke out of most things. Yang goes on about how unsafe it was for me to locked here.

"Ruby had her own room with a bathroom, her own clothes, free meals and nurse staff to assist her with whatever she needed. Her room would be locked at bedtime and unlocked in the morning unless otherwise." Ah now Yang's in trouble with the witch. Goodwitch. "Also we do not refer to patients as 'loonies'." She gave Yang a glare I was familiar with. Glynda Goodwitch was the head nurse at the psyche floor. She likes to be called GW since the word witch sometimes unsettles patients.

"Eh sorry... Ms. Goodwitch." Yang looked at her ID to know who to fear. "GW. The word witch can unsettle some patients at times." The witch read my mind!

"Right. I was just worried about my sister's safety eheh..." Yea now you're worried. I shake my head and smile grabbing Yang's shoulder and Ozpin's.

"Don't worry about it. Tis better be near my frienderapist!" I said with eyes on Ozpin. Yang and Goodwitch's eyes also followed with a raised eyebrow. Ozpin rubbed his eyes under those tiny lens.

"Please don't call me that. Not around others." Ozpin said, eyes closed with another sip of coffee. Ozpin opened his eyes to Yang's helmet. "Tell me Yang do you have a motorcycle?" Ozpin asked

"Oh no. It's a motor scooter that I repaired from junk..." Yang says and pauses for me to say "The Bumblebee!"

"You plan to take Ruby home on your Bee?"

"Of Course!"

"And yet I see you only have one helmet." Ozpin earns himself a victory sip from his yellow coffee mug.

"... Ruby can walk along side me..."

"Uh nah! You're getting me a helmet!"

"But I don't have any money to buy another."

"There's a man who came in this morning from a motorcycle accident on the 3th floor. You could ask to borrow his helmet."

"No offense but I don't want the helmet that couldn't save the last guy."

"He's in for a broken arm."

"I'll be right back!" Yang pats me on the back and rushes to the elevator. "Ozpin your eleven thirty is here." GW says as she taps her wrist watch. Ozpin sips again. Gives me a goodbye hug since I won't see him again. "Come visit whenever you can and remember your exercises and routines." I nod and he goes back into his room with the brunette girl with bunny ears. I turn to Goodwitch. "So, it's just you and me now."

"Actually I have to return to work. Go to lounge area. Yang will mostly be awhile. You should go make friends." GW gathered some patient charts. I just looked back at the lounge. The lounge with the motorcycle hair guy and the catgirl, but there was someone new I noticed. A brown haired girl writing. Sitting entirely on the windowsill with her legs in grey jeans. I don't know what it was but the sun passed by her face and upon the notebook so perfectly. She looked like a model. Like if she her beauty invited me to go away. Her beauty is just so intimidating. I just can't resist.

"She doesn't bite." Goodwitch said breaking me away from Window Girl thoughts. I'm not sure I know how to blush, but from GW's grin, I've probably got some red on my face. "Go say hello, she doesn't have many friends." GW struts away thinking she's already made us friends... But how do I make friends with someone who doesn't have many. Or really when I haven't had a friend besides my therapist, nurse, sister and sister's friends. Say Hello you weirdo! Right! Sometimes it's good to be negative.

I walk over to the windowsill while some comedy sitcom plays over by the wall tv. I guess the only entertain is Motorcycle Hair's lectures and a bad sitcom. Can't blame Window Girl for shutting herself off. I walk over trying to carefully and politely avoid Motorcycle Hair. I've snuck myself behind the brunette, I don't want to scare her but I see she's drawing something. Her drawing, it's a throne. A single throne for one person. No queen for the king. The throne had a snowflake embedded on it. The top of the throne was shaped in a 'W' with the edges gracefully twisted away from each other. The background had curtains, with the same snowflake emblem, that were tied together.

"That's really uh…" Damn you brain, just say pretty! I wish I did. Anything that could have prevented that glare she whipped at me. I just realized I walked up to someone at a psychiatric ward with no idea what's she in for. No turning back now. The glare daggers only lasted a quick second. She goes back to her drawing adding more detail.

"Hi, I'm Ruby." I said to Window Artist. She glances back to me. Stares for what was three really long seconds, and she finally responded. "Steph." Her eyes return to the notebook while shading in some curtains "Uh hi Steph. I haven't-"

"Stephanie. Call me Stephanie." Sure, of course. Cut me off. "Oh. Hi Stephanie. I haven't seen you around are you new?"

"This is the teenage ward. I've been here for years. You've been living in the adult ward." I know this isn't the time for this but… YAYshe noticed me!

"Oh right well that's only because it was the only room single available and I was only around here to visit my Frienderapist. You know?" She looks at me with eyes that are as stoic as ice. Yet I can tell with her head tilt she was confounded by my last sentence. "You know frienderapist. He's my friend and rapist... Oh god! No! I meant therapist! You know? Friend and rapi-THErapists! Like you ever noticed that if you put a space in between therapist you get 'the rapist'? Eheh... that's not funny, sorry." Steph closes her book and moves her legs off the window. She wears grey jeans with stitches all over them. Her gray jacket also have stitches from repaired cuts. As if she's hiding something. I bet she's in for self mutilation.

That was definitely one of the bad thoughts.

She walks right past me to the cat girl. "Come on Blake. Let's get some tuna." She continues walking without looking to see if the girl would refuse. Then again, what catgirl would refuse tuna?

"Ah! Yes! Lunch time! Review your homework on Fort Castle!" Motorcycle-Hair-Man just waves bye and then rushes off to another hallway. Catgirl Blake jumps from her seat, skipping off to Weiss. She gives a head twirl back to me before she leaves with Stephanie. She gives a childish wave and runs to catch up with Stephanie.

I couldn't help but notice something. On her left eye. There was a smudge. Her left eye must have had makeup but it was definitely old or smudged. I couldn't tell what it was, but I still feel captured by her. I should have stopped by the teenage ward more often.

"Bye, Steph."

~~~~~~~~~~~Can~You~Say~Time~Skip?~~~~~~~~~~~

"Here sis!" Yang hands me the slick black helmet from some guy in the hospital. "Yay for safety!" I say and lift the helmet into the air. I'm just wondering one thing. "How'd you get the guy to lend you the helmet?"

"Well at first he said no..."

"And then?"

"He was much more kind when I punched his broken arm."

"I missed you, Yang."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~What?~Another~Time~Skip!?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Welcome to Casa de Ruby and Yang!" Yang swing open the door to let me into our new home. Apartment really, A very small apartment. I could see just about all of it from the entrance. The entrance opened to the kitchen and a door to the left which led to a bed room. The kitchen wasn't too big or too small. For fridge, stove, shelf and one person to in it at the same time. Not counting the entrance. "This is the kitchen. Follow me to the bedroom!" I do and the term bedroom is too literal. The room just has two mattresses on the ground with a cabinet to the right of the door. The door to the bathroom is across the door to the kitchen. Yang tosses herself onto the bed. "You can pick whatever side but only if we cuddle. Gotta warn you I'm a big spoon." I roll my eyes and laugh. I flop myself on the bed face first.

"Whatcha wanna do baby sister?"

"Eat something besides hospital food."

"I mean summer? Do you have any plans? Maybe visit friends." Ah that's right. I've been on summer vacation for only a week. I've graduated from the eighth grade and am entering high school in a new city. Sweet. Fresh outta the psych ward and into the hellfire of high school. "I don't think I'll be seeing any friends from the Signal here in Vale."

"True, which is why..." Yang kneels and goes to the cabinet where she rummages through our clothes. "I have… done you… a big sister favor… and… where the hell is it!? HA! Gotta!" Yang body slams right back to my level with her hand out. Her hand lands on my gut with a paper, making sure to make an impact.

"Fresh Start Summer Camp?" I read the pamphlet and open to peer inside. This pamphlet has way too many pages with way too many fake smiles. I really hope this isn't what it sounds like.

"Correct! For the girl with no friends!" Yang shoots me with her finger guns, she still smiles even when she adds "Not what I meant to say!"

I know what she meant, I smile back at her. I came from another city to Vale where I don't know anyone or even my way around the corner. Then going to high school with no friends is like going into war with dressed as a clown. Eh maybe I can laugh the enemy to death. Or maybe being weird and antisocial will make me cool and popular...… Wait that's not high school functions… Crap

"So what do you think? You can spend the summer making friends and I'll be working. Then after summer you're off to high school! What'd ya say?" Yang looks at me, smiling like it's her only setting. She's expecting me to agree. I am not amused. I give Yang a half smile and say "I don't think so. What if I work the summer with you?" I want to be treated as Yang's equal not a child she needs to care for. I'm over that, I can take care of myself.

"I mean you quit a stable job to come take care of me. So I should help with the money. I mean how long can we afford this apartment before your savings are gone?" Yang's smile quickly dims. Uh oh, she's gone into Don't You Worry Mode. She's ready to turn black into white and make these mold infected walls look like gold. She is unstoppable like this. "Don't you worry about money. I got it covered, remember that plane ticket Qrow paid for?"

"Yea."

"I refunded it and pocketed the money for gas to ride here. It was cheaper, plus I have more than enough to last us here." Yang's smile is so bright, her hair glowing, fire in her eyes! I can't fight her, even if I can't tell if these are lies or stretched truths. I look back at this 'Fresh Start' pamphlet. I guess I could use one. "Fine I'll go."

"Sweet! Now, how's pizza sounds for some not-hospital food?"

Hospital food was alright. A vanilla pudding and strawberry jello every now and then made it bearable. But hospital food can't beat good old pizza. Yang ordered a jumbo cheese pizza. We did the math and saw that this jumbo pizza was the same price as eight regular slices. But we would get twelve slice. Hell yea, we beat the system. We ate our pizza on our beds and Yang told stories about her work days and I shared some Ozpin moments.

"I pretty sure Ozpin dates back to the Neanderthals. He's always complaining about his back."

"That's probably because he keeps evolving to keep up with up to date humans."

"Definitely!" I laugh with Yang. I do miss these days. We would always mess around and make theories about the weirdest things. Yang and I get the remaining slices of our pizza into the fridge, box and all. It's not too dark out, but I feel like turning in. I walk back to the bedroom, except Yang blocks the entrance. Yang looks down to me. she's not smiling, she's got a look of actual seriousness.

"I got it back for you."

Yang takes out a red handle to me. "It... ah wasn't easy, but I know what it means to you." I take the butterfly knife from her. I know this definitely wasn't easy to get back. "I followed your directions and found it where you left it... I want you to protect yourself but I don't think this may be the best thing." Yang says again, only her voice is different. Why? I don't want to hear Yang say I can't have it back. Sorry Yang. Your weakness.

"I'd rather have this. I know how to use it and It's a gift from you." I hold it close to my heart, defending my weapon. Yang gives a weak smile as if she regrets giving me Butterfly Rose. Butterfly Rose has saved my life before. Whether it was from some punk who thought he could mug me with a toy gun or using it to make some bitchy girls back off or worse.

"Just be careful with it. Don't get caught with it and don't use it unless absolutely necessary." Yang says standing right in front of me with a dear warning. Eyes narrowed with a voice of empathy. She looks at me like her dear baby sister she left some time ago. As if I still need protecting. She failed at that a long time ago. I protect myself. Yang hugs me without warning. "I'm here for you Ruby. You can come to me for anything." I don't return the hug. My hands are still holding Butterfly Rose to my heart. As if my knife was my shield. My family. It's a better family than Yang… Stop thinking… Wait, now I see why her voice was different. It was fear.

"Yang... you're being weird."

Butterfly Rose has a red handle with a design of a black thorny stem reaching from the pivot pins down to the latch. At the latch a beautiful black rose blossomed. I remove the latch and the blade reveals itself to me. The blade is completely black. Another design of a blossoming rose next to the kicker on the blade, only this one was red. This knife was a piece of art and a piece of me. Yang gave her to me sometime after dad died and we moved to a neighborhood where we could live on our remaining saving until we figured out a solid solution for our future.

Of course, my education was priority. So I kept attending Signal while we lived in a dump. Yang realized this, so she went out for work.

I was never sure if Yang had purchased or stolen the knife, but I didn't care. I nicknamed her Butterfly Rose when Yang had explained what it was called. A butterfly knife. I like how the bite handle flapped to reveal the rose on the blade. Butterfly wings showing me a rose. A piece of me. I close the latch, hiding the rose.

"Whatcha gonna do today baby sis?" Yang throws herself on our two beds. I've been laying on the double beds for about two hours after waking up. Just laying, trying not to think. Yang has showered, brushed, dressed herself while I am still in my pajamas. Yup, I am future leader in this world.

"I don't know. Ozpin said I should exercise to relieve stress. So I'm thinking I'm gonna out and jog... I dunno..." I still got a few days before I'm off to Fresh Start Camp.

"Hrmm" Yang purses her mouth to one side. I'm sure she doesn't like the idea of me, a fourteen year old girl, going out jogging in a neighborhood where our apartment was located. "Take the bus. It's a long ride but if you take the southbound bus then you'll be dropped at a park, and you can get your workout, then take the bus back." Yang says and then gives about ten slaps to my gut.

"Uff! Why you always gotta hit my stomach?"

"I'm just feeling those muscles sis!" Yang giggles and got up to leave. "I left a ten for ya on the counter. Later sis!" Yang leaves. I sigh and get up. Time to face the day.

I run up the hill, once again, with whatever resolve I have left from the last three times I've run up. I reach the top, look at the trail to see if anyone else is coming. I stop my heavy breathing and turn them into growls. Primal growls, like animal noises from the bottom of my throat. My growls turn into small screams. I let one out, breath, scream, breath, rest and scream again. I grab a rock and throw it in any direction. I grab a bigger rock and toss that in the air. I don't care how far it's going. I'm just... angry? Confused?

I don't know if I'm still angry. What am I angry about? Who am I angry at? I have every right to be angry! But who am I angry at. The way my life turned out isn't anyone's fault. I don't think that gives a right to be angry. It gives you every right to be angry. No one has to be at fault for you to be angry. You are angry because you need to be. It's fair. "Great."

I sit at a bus bench for my ride home. Yang said she would be out looking for work and said I shouldn't worry about dinner. I've got some cash left from what Yang gave me. Two donuts with some milk were the cheapest option, then deducting my bus fare. Yang's been working for some time to try to get me by. She'd take any work she could get, even law breaking jobs. She used to do drug drops or drug runs or something. She'd be told where to be for pickup or delivery and did what she needed to do. Yang promised me, she never used what she sold or picked up. I believe her.

Yang left to finish her elementary school in some other state where she could work and go to school and make some money selling stuff. It was the perfect opportunity, a community church offered the chance to get endangered youths off the street and into school. Yang still took any drug drop jobs she could get. After that she didn't bother with high school. Yang said she would return to get her GED after I graduated from a good school. She's trying too hard. I need to try harder.

I finally get home at about four. Yang gave me my own key knowing I'd be home before her. I eat some cold pizza and a water bottle. Yang doesn't come home for another two hours. I decide to read through the pamphlet of the Fresh Start Camp. It's a camp for the teens going into a high school hoping to make friends. We're all split into our appropriate groups from our schools. Shoot, I don't even know which school I'm entering.

On this trip, I'll be gone for about a month and a half. Yang's getting rid of me again. No, this is for the best. I can make some friends after getting outta a major turmoil. Regularly washing my clothes isn't always an option for me, so I better pack now.

"Hey sis! I'm home! Heat up the pizza!"

"Hey sis! Get any work?"

"Nope!"

 **That's it! So far Blake and Velvet are staying at the psychiatric ward. Ozpin is a therapist, Glynda a nurse, Yang's looking for work, and Ruby is something else. I definitely plan on getting Jaune and Weiss to show up soon as a regulars. Nora and Ren won't be too big in the story or maybe they can be. I still have to choose. Roman is coming up along with Cinder. Pyrrha's gonna show up too.**

 **also I'm in need of a beta reader. Someone to proofread, cause I know I make a lot of mistakes.**


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